“Every one of them is good. Every one of them is qualified to be the menteri besar. So we leave it to the top leadership,” he said.

Sahruddin is PN’s candidate for Bukit Kepong, the seat he won in 2018 as a Pakatan Harapan candidate.

He told FMT there was a strategy behind PN’s delay in naming its candidate for menteri besar, but did not elaborate, saying only that it was important for the coalition’s candidates to work hard for victory in as many constituencies as possible.

“PN has Bersatu, Gerakan and PAS. So let the top leadership discuss and choose the best candidate,” he said.

Sahruddin was appointed menteri besar in April 2019 following the resignation of the late Osman Sapian, who had served in the position for 11 months.

When the PH state government collapsed in March 2020, Umno’s Hasni Mohammad took over as menteri besar in the new partnership that included PN.

Asked if he felt aggrieved that PN had not named him its choice for menteri besar, he said he was not and that he was focused on working hard to win over voters.

“What I am sure of is that the one who deserves the post will be named the menteri besar candidate,” he said.